NAME

"Syntax::Keyword::Dynamically" - dynamically change the value of a variable

SYNOPSIS

   use Syntax::Keyword::Dynamically;

   my $logger = ...;

   sub operate
   {
      dynamically $logger->level = LOG_DEBUG;

      do_things();
   }

DESCRIPTION

This module provides a syntax plugin that implements a single keyword, "dynamically", which alters the behaviour of a scalar assignment operation. Syntactically and semantically it is similar to the built-in perl keyword "local", but is implemented somewhat differently to give two key advantages over regular "local":

You can "dynamically" assign to lvalue functions and accessors.
You can "dynamically" assign to regular lexical variables.

Semantically, the behaviour can be considered equivalent to

   {
      my $old = $VAR;
      $VAR = "new value";

      ...

      $VAR = $old;
   }

Except that the old value will also be restored in the case of exceptions, "goto", "next/last/redo" or similar ways to leave the controlling block scope.

KEYWORDS

dynamically

   {
      dynamically LVALUE = EXPR;
      ...
   }

The "dynamically" keyword modifies the behaviour of the following expression. which must be a scalar assignment. Before the new value is assigned to the lvalue, its current value is captured and stored internally within the Perl interpreter. When execution leaves the controlling block for whatever reason, as part of block scope cleanup the saved value is restored.

The LVALUE may be any kind of expression that allows normal scalar assignment; lexical or package scalar variables, elements of arrays or hashes, or the result of calling an ":lvalue" function or method.

If the LVALUE has any GET magic associated with it (including a "FETCH" method of a tied scalar) then this will be executed exactly once when the "dynamically" expression is evaluated.

If the LVALUE has any SET magic associated with it (including a "STORE" method of a tied scalar) then this will be executed exactly once when the "dynamically" expression is evaluated, and again a second time when the controlling scope is unwound.

When the LVALUE being assigned to is a hash element, e.g. one of the following forms

   dynamically $hash{key} = EXPR;
   dynamically $href->{key} = EXPR;

the assignment additionally ensures to remove the key if it is newly-added, and restores by adding the key back again if it had been deleted in the meantime.

WITH Future::AsyncAwait

As of Future::AsyncAwait version 0.32, cross-module integration tests assert that the "dynamically" correctly works across an "await" boundary.

   use Future::AsyncAwait;
   use Syntax::Keyword::Dynamically;

   our $var;

   async sub trial
   {
      dynamically $var = "value";

      await func();

      say "Var is still $var";
   }

When context-switching between scopes in which a variable is "dynamically" modified, the value of the variable will be swapped in and out, possibly multiple times if necessary, to ensure the visible value remains as expected.

AUTHOR

Paul Evans <leonerd@leonerd.org.uk>